Kickin' Buffalo Chicken Chili

I love any kind of chili. My most recent love in life is the Buffalo Chicken Chili, which is derived from Ready Set Eat. It is not your average chili, it will knock your socks off when it comes to deliciousness and for the foodie who likes that spice/hot factor! This is the easiest recipe for the mom who doesn't have too much time to prepare a gourmet dinner or the apartment dweller who needs to put odds and ends together to create a meal. The best part about cooking this recipe is that you will have leftovers for the rest of the week (if you don't eat all of it...which I can't guarantee won't happen)! I did change around the canned goods, veggies and chicken to make the recipe healthier and also added some savory spices to make it pop. That is the beauty of chili you can switch it around, add a little of this...a little of that and it still tastes amazing! The only thing that you would have to do to make this recipe vegetarian would be to take out the chicken...and voila you have veggie chili. To be honest it tastes just as good without the meat.



Ingredients:

• PAM Cooking Spray
• 1 pound of Nature's Place Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenders cut into bite size pieces
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 3/4 cup sliced carrots
• 1 can (16 oz) Bush's Reduced Sodium Dark Red Kidney Beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 can (16 oz) Bush's Reduced Sodium Garbanzos Chick Peas, drained, rinsed
• 1 can (14.5 oz) Hunt's Diced No Salt Added Tomatos, undrained
• 1 can (6 oz) Contadina Tomato Paste
• 1 can (14.5 oz) Del Monte Zucchini
• 2 Tablespoons of Tabasco Pepper Sauce
• McCormick Chili Powder
• McCormick Cajun Spice

Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken, celery and carrots; cook 7 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, stirring occasionally.


Cook until chicken is no longer pink.


Stir in beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste and pepper sauce; bring to a boil.

Bush's Reduced Sodium Dark Red Kidney Beans


Bush's Reduced Sodium Garbanzos Chick Peas


Hunt's Diced No Salt Added Undrained Tomatos


Del Monte Zucchini


Contadina Tomato Paste


Reduce heat to low; cook 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is tender and flavors are blended. Add more pepper sauce, if desired (There is no such thing as too much pepper sauce). I also added the chili powder and cajun spice at this step.


Can you say yum?

Parties I am linking to:
Skip to my Lou
Home Stories A to Z
It's Overflowing
Not Just A Housewife
New Nostalgia
A Bowl Full Of Lemons
Savvy Southern Style
Organize and Decorate Everything
DIY by Design
Southern Lovely
Classy Clutter

Quick and Easy Beans and Rice

This recipe is so good and filling, not too mention super healthy (depending on the ingredients you use).  When I first turned vegetarian, I was overwhelmed with the thought that I had no idea what to make for myself believing that I would have to look in the organic section of the grocery store to get food.  This is so not the case!  I am probably the worst cook ever, so I needed recipes that were quick, easy, and painless.  I came across this recipe while watching Food Network and immediately got all of the ingredients:

2 cups brown rice
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup salsa
1 can black beans
1 can red beans
1 can corn
1 tbs onion flakes
1.5 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Tortilla chips

Cook rice as directed.  Combine rest of ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer until rice is done.  Once rice is cooked, fold the ingredients in rice.  Serve with tortilla chips on the side.  Serves about four.

Different ways to use this recipe:

• Use these ingredients to make stuffed bell peppers
• Serve with whole wheat wraps or taco shells with lettuce
• Serve with cheese (of your choice) over the top

The beauty of this recipe is that you don't need to follow the measurements to a "T".  In the picture, you can see I used green beans instead of black beans to add some "greenery" to the meal.  I also didn't use thyme.  And I never measure my spices.  Just don't go overboard with the cayenne pepper, unless you like it HOT!  You can use white rice instead of brown, but brown rice definitely holds more nutrients.  This meal is great to pack for lunches because you end up with a lot left over.

I'm linking up with My Meatless Mondays on My Sweet and Savory blog.  Click on the link to see more delicious meatless recipes!